(CNN) – Militant group ISIS released a video Tuesday showing a masked terrorist beheading a second American, journalist Steven Sotloff.

The terrorist called his gruesome act retribution for U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq.

"When the adversary starts complaining and talking about how much pain we're inflicting on them, that's an indication they're in trouble. This is clearly an indication this is causing them a lot of pain," said CNN counterterrorism analyst and former CIA official Phil Mudd.
But if the U.S. goes after ISIS in Syria, the group's stronghold, they may see it as an existential threat, says CNN terrorism analyst Phil Cruickshank.

"They may even retaliate against U.S. interests in the region. They have 1,000 Europeans in their ranks, training camps last seen on a scale of Taliban-run Afghanistan, tens of millions of dollars. They have frightening capabilities if they want to pull the trigger with attacks back in the West," Cruickshank said.

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